Dementia is a progressive brain disorder caused by physical damage to brain cells from diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (amyloid/tau protein buildup) or vascular problems (reduced blood flow).
Its symptoms include a decline in memory, thinking and social skills, which hinders daily life. The early symptoms of dementia include memory loss, confusion, and difficulty with daily tasks.
As scary as the condition may sound, there are simple ways to keep it at bay.
Here are seven rules you can incorporate into your lifestyle to reduce your risk of dementia.
1. Exercise
Living without exercise is linked to many risk factors for dementia, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
A 2022 study, which followed half a million middle-aged Brits for 11 years, found that those who exercised regularly were 35 percent less likely to develop dementia.
“The brain is amazingly resilient and malleable, which means there’s plenty you can do to strengthen it – exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have,” explains Tara Spires-Jones, professor of neurodegeneration at the University of Edinburgh.
2. Be careful with your head
Falls or certain head injuries can lead to trauma to the brain, increasing your risk of developing dementia later in life two- or three-fold.
Damage can cause the production of abnormal tau and amyloid proteins, which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Even though symptoms may not appear for years, dementia is one of the conditions a person experiences as a result of Alzheimer’s disease.
“About 40 percent of people aged 60 who fall will suffer a head injury,” says Dr. Li.
3. Choose your environment carefully
Breathing polluted air can increase the risk of dementia by 10 percent. Air pollution, caused by a variety of sources including traffic and industrial smoke, contains small PM2.5 particles that are linked to lung disease and heart disease, both of which are risk factors for dementia.
“There is some evidence that PM2.5 particles can enter the brain, so avoid regularly walking along busy roads – dropping back a few blocks can make a big difference to the total amount you inhale, as can resisting lighting the wood-burning stove,” says Gill Livingston, professor of psychiatry of the elderly at University College London.
4. Stay in touch with your loved ones
Socializing and staying in touch with your friends and family is essential for maintaining a healthy brain in later life, according to Dr. Li.
People who are isolated and lonely are 60 percent more likely to develop dementia compared to someone who is social, according to the Alzheimer’s Society.
“There is something particularly helpful about maintaining a variety of social interactions,” explains Dr. Li. “These stimulate different brain networks than those exercised by mental puzzles.”
5. Quit smoking
Smoking is a major risk factor that increases the risk of dementia by 30 percent because it causes many lung problems, a risk factor for dementia, according to researchers from The Lancet Commission.
“The chemicals in cigarettes contain neurotoxins, which can penetrate the blood-brain barrier [that protects the brain]. This causes inflammation and damage to brain cells, linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” explains Professor Livingston.
However, there is also a positive side: within two years of quitting smoking you can reduce the risk of dementia to the same level as that of someone who has never smoked, assures Professor Livingston.
6. Avoid using AI for everything
As common as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is these days, it’s also good to give your brain a little boost every now and then, without the support of a machine.
“Stimulating your brain to try new things is an important way to build a stronger brain,” says Dr Tom MacLaren, consultant psychiatrist at the Re:Cognition Health clinic in London.
A 2023 study of 280,000 Britons aged 40 to 69 found that those who took part in adult education classes had a 19 per cent lower risk of developing dementia five years later.
“The brain rewires when it learns a skill, improving cell connections and making it more resistant to damage,” explains Dr. MacLaren. “As tempting as it is, try to prevent AI from doing everything for you; your brain needs training.”
7. Avoid drinking
Alcohol is a toxin that can enter the brain by crossing the protective blood-brain barrier. It can damage and even kill connections between brain cells, says Professor Spires-Jones.
Drinking too much also damages blood vessels, which transport nutrients throughout the body, and is linked to stroke, heart disease and weight gain, all risks of dementia.
According to the charity Alzheimer’s Research UK, people who regularly drink more than 21 units per week are more likely to develop dementia than those who stick to the NHS guidelines of 14 units per week.
